Library environment

Libraries in international schools, including XLIS, play an important role in furthering the objectives of the school. They aid and extend learning and teaching across the school community. Support for students’ inquiry across the curriculum, and for improving literacy and reading engagement, is embedded in all the services the school library provides including the development of our physical and digital collections; library classes and curriculum; support and training for teachers; reference and reader advisory services; and reading programs, initiatives, and events.

At XLIS, the library is spread over 2 floors and offers a vibrant and flexible space to students and staff members.

The library at XLIS is equipped with study rooms, desktop computers, printers, and a collection of physical and digital resources that promotes academic success and fosters a life-long love for reading. We have a growing collection of over 14,000 fiction and nonfiction books that support the curricular needs and varied interests of students and teachers in English as well as in mother tongue languages like Chinese and Korean.

Our digital resources cater to the needs of all students, from ECE to DP, and include subscriptions to Gale’s In-Context Suite of research databases, BrianPOP educational videos, Britannica’s online encyclopedia, and more.

Search our physical books and access all our online resources through the library catalog.

Library Instruction

ECE

The weekly ECE library classes focus on storytime and learning appropriate library behavior and procedures, especially for book care and checkout. We do not explicitly begin teaching information literacy yet, but we make a point to expose students to a variety of fiction and nonfiction through storytime and checkout recommendations. Many of the skills practiced during read-alouds, such as “Form simple questions” and “Distinguish between what is real and what is not real” lay the foundation for future research skills.

PYP

We begin explicitly teaching information literacy in the weekly PYP library classes through collaborative research projects or short research lessons that align with the Units of Inquiry. We also support information literacy instruction for the PYP Exhibition.

We see our goal of empowering lifelong readers as equally important and split our instructional time accordingly. Approximately half of the library instructional time gives students the opportunity to learn how to use the library to find, enjoy, and share their favorite books, including time for book checkout.

MYP and DP

In the MYP and DP, students no longer have scheduled library classes. The Secondary Teacher Librarian teaches information literacy and encourages reading through push-in lessons, recorded tutorials, research guides, and library visits scheduled directly with the classroom teachers. We also support information literacy instruction for the MYP Personal Project and the DP Extended Essay.

Library operations

Visiting the library

The library is open Monday to Friday, from 8:15 am to 3:30 pm.

In addition to schedule library classes, students may visit the library during their lunch breaks and DP students may use the library during their scheduled release times.

Unfortunately, since we cannot consistently guarantee that there will be a librarian or teacher there to supervise, the library is not open for students after school.

All students are expected to abide by our library expectations when visiting the library.

Parents are welcome to visit the library to check out books. If they are already on campus, they can just stop by, although if there is a class in progress when they arrive, we ask they please be careful not to interrupt the teacher and to keep in mind that we will prioritize book check out for the students.

If a parent would like to visit the school specifically to check out books, they should email the librarian at library@xalis.com and we will the schedule a time for the visit and request the appropriate security clearances.

Library operations

Borrowing Books

Any book that is taken out of the library must be checked out in Destiny and it is the responsibility of the person who borrowed the book to return it in the same condition and on time.

Students are not allowed to borrow books for another student, and we strongly discourage borrowing books on your own account for others. Students are not allowed to borrow multiple copies of the same title.

Books must be returned in the book return bin to ensure that they are checked in correctly before reshelving.

Borrowing limits

• ECE – P1 Students – 2 books
• P2 – P6 Students – 5 books
• M1 – M3 Students – 10 books
• M4 – DP2 Students – 15 books
• Parents – 5 books (Parents do not have their own accounts but can check out books on their child’s account. This is in addition to the child’s borrowing limit.)

Loan periods

• Picture Books & Easy Readers – 2 weeks
• Regular Library Books – 4 weeks
• Class Sets – 6 weeks
• Textbooks – End of School Year

To renew books once, it is not necessary to bring the book into the library. To renew materials more than once, please bring the book to the library to check it in and check it back out. Books that are on hold for others may not be renewed.

Lost or damaged items

If a book is lost or damaged beyond repair, the person who borrowed the book is responsible for paying the cost of replacement or replacing the book with an exact or better copy.

All library accounts must be cleared at the end of each academic year including payment for any lost or damaged books.